The group of six hill walkers, understood to be students in their 20s from the Leeds area, got into difficulties in the Cairngorms on Sunday.

A rescue operation involving more than 100 searchers from the police, RAF and local civilian teams swung into action after the party were reported overdue that afternoon.

Members of the PSNI Search and Rescue Team, who were on a pre-planned annual winter training exercise on the mountains, were asked by the Northern Constabulary to join the search at around 6.30am on Monday.

They helped locate five members of the group, who were picked up uninjured on hill a near Carn Tarsuinn by an RAF helicopter at 12.10pm and flown to safety.

However the body of a sixth man was later discovered in the Jacob's Ladder area.

The climbers, members of the Leeds University Mountaineering Club, were part of a large group of 35 people who had been visiting the Highlands.

Police said the identity of the man who lost his life will not be revealed until his next of kin have been informed.